19-year-old struck dead by thunder in Enugu community

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By Alumona Ukwueze
NSUKKA —-A 19-year-old man, Chukwujekwu Eyah, has reportedly been struck dead by thunder while sleeping with four other boys at his maternal grandmother’s residence.

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The death occurred in Ogboli, Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

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The incident reportedly occurred at about 1 a.m. on Monday, with Eyah dying in the incident while the four other boys sleeping on the same bed were left unharmed.

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The police have yet to officially comment on the matter, but relations of the deceased confirmed his death, saying he was buried on Wednesday.

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One of the relations said, “Chukwujekwu was buried on Wednesday. He died around 1 a.m. at Ogboli in Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.

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“Master Chukwujekwu was asleep when the incident occurred at his maternal grandparents’ residence. We have done our investigations.”

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The relations, however, attributed the incident to a traditional belief concerning instruments reportedly used by Eyah’s late father, who they said was known as a rain-maker.

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According to them, Eyah had gone to the instruments kept at his mother’s residence in Iheaka, in neighbouring Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, without performing what they described as the required traditional rituals.

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They claimed that the thunder subsequently struck Eyah alone while he was sleeping with the other four boys, without causing injuries to them or damaging any property or animal in the house.

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The relations said they received news of his death around 8 a.m. and conducted what they described as a traditional investigation through divination.

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They further alleged that Eyah’s late father had taken the instruments, which they said were used to cause or prevent rainfall, from his wife’s family in Iheaka but that the family failed to return them after his death.

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They said the traditional belief in the community was that such instruments should either be properly maintained according to tradition or returned to their original owners.

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The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death could not be independently verified, while the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

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